A self-proclaimed supporter of Italian football team AC Milan, Joseph Muscat was forced to swallow some pride and liken Malta’s economic success to Italian chart topper Juventus.

The team from Turin has had an illustrious start to its league campaign this year after the acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Speaking at the Labour Party club in Naxxar on Sunday morning, the Prime Minister said Eurostat figures released last week showed how third quarter growth in Malta stood at 7.5%.

“Malta is like Juventus, in a league of its own… when you look at the statistical columns, Malta’s resembles that of a high-rise building while the next highest growth is akin to a bungalow,” Muscat said.

He insisted Malta’s success was a result of decisions taken by the government that encouraged more investment and created more jobs.

But Muscat used the occasion to harp on his government’s strategy to make the country future-proof by embracing change, rather than fearing it.

The ultimate aim of economic growth is to foster social justice and social mobility, Muscat insisted.

“Economic growth is a means to an end... We want to protect the most vulnerable in society as we go along and we do so by ensuring that we do not go from crisis to crisis,” Muscat said.

On the contrary to what was happening across many European countries, Muscat said Malta enjoyed stability.

“The government has introduced stability in energy prices and people have forgotten these were high up to a few years ago… the fruit of economic growth will be felt next week when families will receive their children’s allowances at a higher rate,” Muscat added.

He then appealed to his supporters to ensure that Malta had its best possible representatives in the European Parliament next year.

“We are not bothered by scrutiny and criticism. But at the end of the day what unites us should be a yearning for the country to move ahead. This is not a country of Nationalists and Labourites… we are just curators of this country. Today it us, tomorrow it will be someone else,” Muscat said.

He said the PL MEP candidates were competent and offered a diversity of experience, youthfulness, men and women.

Kurt Sansone is Online Editor of www.maltatoday.com.mt.
He was formerly deputy editor of ...